[Cactus Jack]

Graduating:
Reeves, Mitchell, Watkins

Definitely Going Pro:
Dillingham, Edwards,

Staying or Going Pro:
Sheppard,

Transferring:
Bradshaw,

Transferring or Going Pro:
Wagner,

Staying, Going Pro, or Transferring:
Onyenso, Ivisic, Thiero,

Staying or Transferring:
Burks, Hart,

Incoming Freshmen Who've Signed:
Quaintance, Fland, Cyril, Perry,

Incoming Freshmen Who've Committed But Haven't Signed:
Richmond, Knox,


Sheppard is the only player that I see who is either returning to Kentucky or going pro; I don't see a world where he goes to Arkansas. The decision is between staying in a weak draft when your stock is already high versus betting on yourself (and your new coach and system) in coming back next season. I'm not going to be surprised however it works, but I think he should look out for himself and go.

Otherwise, Perry is the only incoming recruit locked in to Kentucky.

Thiero, Onyenso, and Ivisic could go a number of ways. I could see them winding up with Calipari at Arkansas, in the NBA Draft, or back at Kentucky, or at a new school entirely.

If Ivisic declares, he can't back out due to his previous declarations. I'd think he's most likely to be back at Kentucky but for the school making him go through so much to get eligible initially.

Onyenso's company raised many questions at this point last season. It was implied that his handlers might be putting money before his best interest. If it's a "highest bidder" scenario again, then Kentucky can probably find the NIL money if they really want to keep him.

Thiero is a Calipari legacy (his Dad played for Cal at Memphis) but he was also the first to enter the portal.


I'd imagine Bradshaw and Wagner are following Calipari to Arkansas. Same goes for Quaintance, Richmond, Knox, and Cyril-- maybe the school holds those who've signed to their LOIs until they speak with the next coach, but the optics might get bad and I don't know that UK forces them to play. I guess there's a chance that Fland stays depending on who the coach is, but it's more likely that he also follows Cal to Fayetteville or somehow ends up elsewhere.

Jordan Burks and Joey Hart are interesting to me. They have the most to gain by staying at Kentucky if the roster is depleted and they can get additional PT and opportunities. I can also see why the uncertainty of who the next coach will be (and who'll they'll bring in with them) as enough to make them enter the portal now. Entering the portal means that the school no longer has to honor their scholarship, which would most likely come into play for Hart.


At best, Kentucky keeps some combo of: Sheppard, Fland, Thiero, Onyenso, Ivisic, Burks, Hart, and Perry. Realistically, keeping four to five of those might be all that you could hope for.

At worst, Kentucky only has Perry locked in for next season and the roster is packed with the best we can find from: players previously committed to a different school who are following our new coach in, players from the transfer portal, and players who are given a scholarship on a "test" basis.


If it comes to filling out the roster, is it possible that Kentucky makes calls to a player like Trent Noah, who is currently committed to South Carolina, to gauge interest in becoming a part of the program? If so, is this something that a player like Noah should even be interested in?